It's Business, Not Personal
by Pillar of Stars
Summary: Orihime Inoue is the CEO of a large business conglomerate. As is Ichigo Kurosaki, competing for #1 against Orihime's company. But they don't know all of this when they meet each other at a club and have a passionate love affair. (OOC, AU, Lemon) (Image: DeviantArt - Ichihimepr)
1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone! I know it's been awhile, but I just suddenly got this idea in my head and couldn't get it out. It's a completely new story, and hopefully I can do better in updating it than I have been with my others. Thanks for sticking with me this whole time!

Disclaimer: All rites to Tite Kubo; only the idea of this story is mine.

Summary: Orihime Inoue is the CEO of a large business conglomerate. As is Ichigo Kurosaki, competing for #1 against Orihime's company. But they don't know all of this when they meet each other at a club and have a passionate love affair.

* * *

 _He stared into those shining bright orbs, her tears spilling over without her consent._

 _His thumb traced over their tracks, feeling the softness of her cheek._

 _She was breathing evenly, despite her tears._

 _She stared into the whirlpool of emotions that lay in his eyes._

(…)

Music pounded throughout the intimate club, the flashing lights slightly blinding Orihime's eyes. She breathed in deeply, scanning the room. There was a mixture of sweat, alcohol, and lust in the air. The auburn lifted her glass, finishing her martini. She left it on the bar table and began walking to the dance floor.

And there he was.

That gorgeous man.

She came to this club often, but it had been awhile since her recent business trip. And he was new. And he was handsome.

He was just standing there coolly against the wall on the other side, his hands in his dress pants, his white button down partly open with a pulled down tie. He almost looked out of place with his attire compared to the other men in jeans and who knows what. Oddly enough, there was a scowl on his face.

She was sure she would change that soon.

Even though the scowl did add a certain quality to him.

Orihime easily maneuvered herself around the people on the dance floor and stood at the edge of the dance floor. She continued to stare at the stranger, a slight smirk on her face.

He would notice her eventually.

The lights flashed in his direction and he averted his eyes away, leading right to her.

And she was beautiful.

The strangers shared eye contact, and immediately everything slowed. The music, the lights, the people.

She smiled, a full smile, and waved.

The scowl transformed into a smirk and then a smile. Ichigo pushed himself off the wall and confidently walked in her direction.

Orihime slowly walked back into the crowd, heading towards the center of the dance floor.

Ichigo followed her in, watching her body move between people.

The music pumped loudly, the lights flashed brightly.

Orihime stopped and closed her eyes, and began to dance.

She felt a body, his body, behind her, dancing along. She smiled, she was surprised that he knew how to dance, happy even.

Ichigo lightly moved his hands along her dress, that amazing dress that hugged her in all the right places. The neckline plunged down to her chest, her full breasts filling the top completely. Her back was open with slinky straps, the bottom ruched. The material felt silky beneath his fingers.

His fingers left a hot trail on her body sending multiple sensations all over her body. The auburn began to sweat, despite her hair being up in a messy bun.

They slowly danced closer together, their bodies finally touching. Ichigo leaned into her neck, smelling the slight vanilla scent on her skin. It invigorated him. He ran his hand down her arm as her hips swayed, her firm butt against him. He bit his lip, slowly taking in all the sensations and emotions around him.

They bathed themselves in their own energy, enjoying the euphoria created in the air.

She turned around to face him, and they both stopped dancing, just staring into each other's eyes.

He slowly leaned in closer to her, she tilted her head up towards him. Their lips softly met, melding together. He pulled back, their eyes opening, their hearts beating rapidly under their chests.

If a chaste kiss could cause this reaction, how is it going to be when there's more?

He softly took her hands in his, staring into her eyes questioningly. She smiled and gave a small nod, and he led her off the dance floor, out the club.

* * *

I'm going to keep the rating of this story as M, just in case I heat it up a little. Which I feel like I might. Please review! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, lovelies.


	2. Chapter 2

Hello beautiful people! So, yes, my username has changed because of this chapter/story - personal reasons. Anyways, long chapter! Yay! I would like to thank my beautiful love **Ever Angel 27** for helping me with this story and editing this chapter. There's no one else who I would trust my lemon chapters with!

Warning: Lemon ahead - major adult theme.

Disclaimer: All rites to Tite Kubo except for this story.

* * *

Ichigo held onto this beautiful stranger's hand and stopped before reaching his car. He loosened his grip and turned around to face her.

"My place is about a 15 minute drive from here. If you live closer, we could go to yours…?" His question hung in the air as Orihime just stared at him, a small smile playing on her face. "Or did you want to do something else…?" Ichigo's confusion was clear, making the woman before him laugh.

"No, it's not that. I've just never met a man who is so blunt about having sex, let alone offering their own place. The guys I meet usually have confidence inside and then lose it once we're outside, and have the expectation that I'm inviting them over. This is refreshing." She smiled wide and breathed out a short laugh. "You do live closer than I do, so that'll be fine." She looked up at him and saw that he was smiling, but looked slightly shocked as well.

"Well, then we better get going." His car beeped, indicating that it was unlocked. He held open the passenger door and Orihime raised her eyebrows staring at the car.

"What a weird coincidence…" She whispered to herself.

"What is?"

She jumped back, and answered, "We have the same car. Just different colors," she slid inside on the passenger seat and breathed in deeply, slightly smelling a hint of cologne. She heard his shoes walk around to the driver's side, opening the door and sitting down smoothly.

"Tesla S 70D. Mine is gray instead of black. Although, I might kind of be wishing I got it in black instead," she chuckled and smoothed her dress out of habit.

Ichigo's eyes averted to the movement of her hands and saw that the hem of her dress was higher, revealing more of her smooth, toned thighs and long legs. He felt his cheeks slightly burn and he quickly turned the car on, knots filling deep within his stomach.

Orihime noticed him looking at her legs and smirked, but decided to not say anything about it. She put on her seatbelt and tugged on the one that went across her chest to give her more breathing room. Sometimes she really hated having large breasts.

"Feels weird being in the passenger seat…" she softly said out loud, pouting. Ichigo only laughed and drove off into the bright lights of the city.

"Well, this time you can enjoy the scenery," he noted.

"That's true, New York is beautiful in the night time," Orihime agreed, her eyes gazing over the infinite skyscrapers and glaring neon signs. There was a small silence until she heard the man beside her clear his throat.

"My name is Ichigo, by the way. I don't know if you want a last name as well…" He quickly glanced over at the auburn and back on the road. He slowed down for the red light and waited for her response.

"It's probably best we stick on a first name basis. I'm Orihime." _Can't have him find out who I am_ … Orihime kept on looking past the window as to not look at him, even though she felt like he was looking at her.

 _Thank goodness. Can't have her find out who I am…_ "Sounds good to me." Ichigo's hand slightly tightened on the steering wheel and quickly drove off when the light turned green.

(…)

Ichigo opened the door to his penthouse, stepping aside for Orihime to walk ahead of him.

Even with her heels on, he towered over her.

Her heels clacked against the cream tiles. There were stairs leading down before her and to her left was an ornate mahogany dining table. Orihime walked to her right into the living room and saw the outside terrace through the large windows. There was a clear view of the city, the One World Trade Center shining brightly beneath the stars.

"Want to go outside and see the view?" Orihime slightly jumped, his proximity startling her. She blushed, her heart hammering in her chest, and could only nod. He reached around her, placing his right hand lightly on her waist, his left sliding the door open. She stepped out on the terrace, his hand still placed on her waist. He was leading her to the edge, and Orihime marveled at the view.

It was so much better outside.

The wind slightly blew through her bangs, slightly putting them out of place. Ichigo couldn't stop looking at her. She looked even more beautiful in the moonlight and lights of the city. He traced his thumb across her cheek, disturbing her awe of the city. Orihime turned her face towards him, her lips slightly parting, her breathing slightly increasing.

Ichigo slowly reached down to kiss her, their lips finally touching again. He slightly pulled back, both of their cheeks flushed with color. "Are you sure about this?" He asked softly.

Orihime lightly laughed and responded, "I may have drank a little, but I'm not drunk, so the decision-making part of my brain isn't impaired, so, yeah, I'm sure."

"Thank God." Ichigo grabbed the back of her head and rushed his lips on hers, a lot rougher than before. Orihime stepped back from the sudden power, but his hand on her back kept her steady. She kissed him back with the same ferocity, their tongues mingling with one another. She ran her hands through his hair, soft surprisingly, massaging his scalp simultaneously. He ran his hand up and down her bare back, sending shivers down her spine. Their heated bodies were a stark contrast to the chill of the night. Ichigo leaned her against the banister, pressing his body against her. She could feel his already hardened member against her lower abdomen. He could feel her large breasts pushed against his chest, somehow soft, yet firm.

He couldn't wait to touch every inch of her skin, have her whole body against his without any barriers.

He began to plant kisses down her neck, her head leaning to the side to give him more room.

"Just one condition," she suddenly breathed out.

"What's that?" He asked between kisses.

"We have to use a condom," she blurted rather loudly.

Ichigo stopped and looked at her questioningly. "What made you think that we wouldn't?"

"Nothing did. I just needed to be sure. There have been one too many experiences where men thought otherwise…" Orihime trailed off, not looking at him in the eye anymore. He moved his head to her line of vision and smiled. "Well, that isn't me." Orihime blushed and he kissed her again. "Let's go inside." He grabbed her hand and led her through his home, down the stairs, towards his bedroom. Orihime couldn't see everything in his home due to the darkness, but could tell it was definitely decorated exquisitely with expensive furniture. _This almost rivals my own penthouse…_ He finally led her past a few rooms and they entered the master bedroom. His bedroom.

The moonlight was the only lighting in the room, revealing the large king sized bed with two bedside tables matching the wooden bedpost. A cream armchair sat in the corner of the room with a lonely book lying on the cushion.

"Could I use the restroom before we…?" Ichigo nodded before she finished her question.

"It's past the closet there," he pointed to the corner to the left of the room and Orihime walked in the direction he pointed at. The closet was extremely large, clothes hanging neatly on hangars and folded on shelves. Further back was a door and Orihime entered, feeling the wall for a light switch. The light came on, slightly blinding her for a second, the bathroom appearing before her eyes. She softly closed the door behind her and stood against it.

 _Okay, deep breaths Orihime…_ She couldn't understand why her heart was hammering in her chest. She's had one-night stands before. Why did this time feel so different? It was almost like she was going to have sex for the first time. The way he made her feel was nothing she could ever describe. No man caused this reaction in her. Just thinking about their previous make out session made her weak in the knees. Orihime bit her lip and looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was messy from their previous activities and the dancing and she finally let it down from the super messy bun. Her auburn hair fell in tresses forming soft waves. She smoothed down the top, running her fingers to take out any knots. Not that it mattered anyway. She looked down at her dress and smirked. This was no longer needed.

Ichigo watched her enter the closet and he immediately turned around, pacing a small portion of his bedroom. _Holy crap, what is happening to me?_ Ichigo has had his fair share of sex in his life, discretely of course, but this woman was causing him to act a lot differently than he ever did. She made him want to do a million and one things to her, to please her, and just satisfy her. Maybe even make her happy even. _No, stop… No serious relationships… You don't even know her. This is just a one time thing._ Ichigo scowled down to the floor and looked back when he heard sudden movement.

(…)

She stood there in just a bra and underwear, her hair down this time. It shined in the moonlight and Ichigo couldn't stop staring at her. He was mesmerized. She was perfect in his eyes. Her large breasts filled her bra, almost spilling over, her small waist, slim stomach and thighs. He could find no fault. He looked back up at her face, her eyes shining brightly with desire. She walked up to him and began to unknot his tie, not breaking eye contact. She then unbuttoned his white dress shirt, untucking it from his dress pants, sliding it down his arms, her lithe hands lightly grazing over his arms. The hairs on his arms stood on edge from the sudden soft touch. She dropped his shirt and tie on the floor beside them. She pressed her right palm above his heart and she could feel it pounding beneath the white tank top. _So it's not only me…_

She lightly pushed him back towards the bed, having him sit down. She then sat on him, straddling her legs around his hips. She tugged the white tank top off and ran her hands down his muscular chest down to his abs, stopping right above the belt. She kissed him, her fingers lightly tracing over the trail of hair on his stomach that continued further down.

Ichigo slowly ran his hand up her bare back until he reached her bra, unclasping it in a quick snap. The straps limply fell over her shoulders and she threw it aside, joining the other scattered clothes on the floor. He suddenly grabbed her back, pressing his chest tightly against hers, switching their position. This time they were both laying on the bed with Ichigo on top. Planting kisses on her neck, he left a light trail of kisses leading down to her bosom. Upon reaching her breasts, he flicked the already hardened nipple causing Orihime to take a sharp intake of breath, her back arching leading her hips to lightly grind against his.

Ichigo finally placed his mouth over her left breast, his tongue swirling around the areola and nipple, his other hand massaging the other. Orihime lightly groaned, her legs wrapping around his. His mouth then moved to the side and lightly bit then sucked on the small area of flesh. Orihime gasped, the sensation going straight between her thighs, dampening her underwear, her hands scrunching his hair in her palms.

He kissed back up towards her mouth, one hand in her hair, the other still massaging her breast. The auburn reached down towards his pants, unbuckling his belt and unbuttoning his dress pants. He stood up, quickly taking off his pants. Orihime stared at him from top to bottom. His hair was a mess because of her, he was breathing a little fast revealing his oh-so-perfect abs. He was only in his red boxer briefs, his member clearly erect. Orihime bit her lip in anticipation, not knowing what he was going to do next. Ichigo then bent down before her, kissing her stomach while taking off her underwear. She instinctively closed her thighs together, slightly rubbing them to satiate the knots and feelings deep in her abdomen. He opened her knees, not looking away from her eyes. Somehow this caused Orihime's heart to pound faster in her chest, a sudden nervousness washing over her. He finally looked away, kissing her inner thigh, closer to her core. The slow kisses were torturous for her, the anticipation flowing through every part of her body. He finally kissed her there, slightly sucking on the sensitive area. He heard her take a sharp intake of breath causing a swell of confidence in his ministrations. He began to lick and suck at her entrance, the taste and smell intoxicating him. He never really enjoyed this part of foreplay before, but with her it was entirely different. He couldn't get enough of her – he wanted more. His tongue swirled around faster causing Orihime's hips to rise and fall in harmony with his movements.

She hated being so loud, but at the moment she didn't care, it felt too damn good. Her hands instinctively tugged on the bed sheets, her nails gripping into her palms through the fabric. He lifted his face, kissing her thighs, and Orihime had a second to breathe until she felt him insert two of his fingers inside her. On top of that, he placed his thumb over her clit, pressing down lightly in circles. Her eyes rolled back, her back arching, she could already feel herself reaching the verge of an orgasm. He kept going, moving his fingers faster, his thumb pressing harder, his teeth lightly grazing over her inner thigh. She couldn't handle it anymore and let herself go. Ichigo felt her juices run down his hand and he looked at her, her face flushed with a small shine with sweat. She looked beautiful. Her eyes lazily opened, looking at the man before her. He stared into her eyes, licking the rest of her off of his fingers.

Ichigo turned around and moved to the bedside drawer beside him and pulled out a condom. He ripped it open and placed it on himself. He then kneeled before her entrance, placing her left leg on his shoulder.

He looked at her for confirmation and she nodded. She felt him enter and the sudden feeling took her by surprise. It hurt a little due to the sensitivity from what just happened, but it felt amazing at the same time. He began to move inside her, slow at first, but then quickening his pace. She lightly hissed, his movements causing some pain.

"Just a little slower… Still kind of sensitive…" She blushed saying this out loud and she saw the outline of his smile and his nod.

He listened to her and moved slowly again, despite his urge to just move hard and fast. He felt her walls surround him, clenching and unclenching, the friction sending his nerves to overdrive. But he had to control himself. In response, he gripped her leg tighter, focusing on his movements. He slowly began to increase his pace receiving no denial from her.

Orihime pushed her hips against him to feel him deeper within her. Ichigo began to lightly play with her again, already knowing where she need him the most. He began to go faster inside her, sending more force in each thrust. Orihime couldn't stop herself from moaning loudly. Her breathing was erratic, her lips drying from her hard breathing. He could feel her closing in around him, the sudden tightness making him want to let go. But he wanted to finish pleasing her first. He kept thrusting, focusing on her instead of himself. He could tell she was just about to orgasm. Her back began to arch, and Orihime was so overwhelmed that she couldn't make a sound. And that was when he felt it surround him, the clenching of her walls milking out his own release as well. Ichigo gripped her thigh tightly, quickly taking in a deep breath, and relaxed at last.

He slowly pulled himself out of her, placing her leg down lightly. He then took off the condom, slightly hissing from the sensitivity, and threw it away in a small garbage can. He looked back at the woman on his bed, who had slowly moved to lay her head on his pillows.

"Wow…" she softly breathed out. She heard Ichigo chuckle beside her.

"I'll be right back. Do you want anything? Some water, maybe?" Ichigo headed towards his bathroom, but waited at the entry of his closet to hear her answer.

"Actually… could I take a quick shower and sleep here for the night? I promise I'll be out by sunrise. It's just that I-"

Ichigo held up his hand, and shook his head. "No need to explain. And yeah, you can take a shower in this bathroom here. I probably should too, now that I think about it…"

"Look mister, I don't know about you, but I'm pretty worn out so don't get any ideas about any shower sex, okay?" Orihime lightly joked, with a hint of seriousness in her tone. Ichigo laughed, and shook his head again.

"I promise I wasn't even thinking about that. I'm pretty worn out too." He gestured for her to come and she followed.

He turned on the showerhead and entered first, holding his hand out for her to join. They quickly rinsed themselves off, of course neither failing to admire the other's body when the other wasn't looking. Orihime stepped out first, hugging herself to keep from shivering. Ichigo turned off the shower and followed beside her, grabbing two plush towels from a small cabinet. He opened one up and wrapped Orihime in it and then wrapped himself the other. Ichigo then walked to his bedroom, opening the other bedside drawer that held his pajamas. He tossed a set to Orihime and pulled out a clean set of boxer briefs and sweatpants for himself.

"You can wear that tonight since I'm sure you don't have pajamas on you," he lightly smiled at her and she beamed back.

"Thanks!"

"Um, I don't know if you want to borrow one of my boxer briefs or..?" He slightly looked to the side, unsure how to ask her about this.

"Oh, don't worry! I always carry an extra set of underwear in my purse just in case." Ichigo raised his eyebrows at her and she only laughed. "In case of my period, silly!" He immediately reddened and was going to apologize, but she had already turned around. " I think I left it in the bathroom…" Orihime mumbled to herself, Ichigo watching her enter into the darkness.

He laid in his bed underneath the covers, feeling the coolness against his warm skin. He heard Orihime walk back out, fully dressed this time, and she joined him in his bed. They were silent for a while, a slight awkward tension filling the air.

"Um… thank you… for letting me stay…" Orihime said, coming out like a whisper. She cleared her throat and tugged on the long sleeves of the pajama top.

"Of course, no need to thank to me," Ichigo responded.

"Well… goodnight!" Ichigo sensed her turn around in the darkness and didn't respond for awhile until he heard her breathing slow down.

"Goodnight…"

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed it! This is the first time I have written a lemon scene, so any critiques are welcome. Also, this story is not just going to revolve around lemony stuff, but there will be an actual plot, so stick around! Love all of you wonderful people who have stuck with me since the beginning, and those who are just starting to read my content ^.^


	3. Chapter 3

I'm not sure when the last time was that I have updated the next day... It's been awhile. But my writing juices are flowing! I have really been inspired with this story lately and really want to get my ideas out there before I lose it. I know this chapter  
is shorter than the last one, but I promise the chapters will be a good length! I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns everything except this story.

* * *

Orihime awoke a few hours later, a small ray of sunshine sneaking its way into the room. She glanced at the clock beside the bed and saw it was about 4:30 in the morning. Once again. No matter how hard she tried, she would always wake up at that time.  
She glanced beside her at Ichigo who was still sleeping soundly. She slowly climbed out of the bed and went to the bathroom to change back to her clothes. Heels at hand, she softly placed his pajamas on top of one of the tables. She looked at him  
one last time, constraining herself from moving his hair out of his face, and quietly left the penthouse.

(…)

Orihime walked into the tall glass building, the security guards standing up straighter and taller compared to moments before.

"Good morning, Miss Inoue," they all shouted in unison.

Orihime beamed a large smile at them, "It is a good morning isn't it?" She replied, tapping her I.D. card at the turnstile. The security guards each dreamily smiled back at her, happy that they had a kind and beautiful boss. They didn't even notice she  
was still wearing night-wear to work. The marble floors extended out to a row of elevators, one dinging immediately after Orihime pressed the button. She stepped inside, checking emails on her phone.

36 unread emails

From: Jay & Jay Electric Company

Subject: Future Meetings

Dear Miss Inoue,

We are glad to hear that a meeting has been set-up to discuss our future goals together as companies…

 _Blah, blah, blah…_ Orihime scrolled down to the end of the email to the last paragraph.

May the joining of our companies bring a light to our world focusing on electrical energy, and …

Orihime quickly texted her assistant, Rukia Kuchiki, to bring her up to date on this electric company before their meeting. The elevator rang its arrival to the top floor and opened its doors. The auburn looked up and walked straight ahead to the glass  
doorway leading to her office. The large windows let in the morning sunlight, waking up the sleeping city. She pulled a book from her bookshelf and a secret doorway opened revealing a small closet. She pulled out a white dress shirt with a gray pencil  
skirt and black leather pumps. Placing the book back, the door whizzed shut. Then pulling another book, another secret door opened on the other side, but revealed a small bathroom with a shower. She stepped inside and pressed a small button that closed  
the door behind her. She finally looked at herself in the mirror since she woke up. There was a small amount of eyeliner and mascara smudged against her bottom waterline. Sighing, she slipped out of her dress and shoes, and opened the mirror that  
held some toiletries. She grabbed her toothbrush and toothpaste and face wash and quickly freshened herself up. In a side drawer held a small amount of makeup, Orihime only pulling out concealer, lipstick, mascara, and blush. She quickly put it on  
and then shimmied herself in her work clothes. Picking up the dress, she hung it on the wall and pressed the button, exiting the bathroom. She quickly placed the book back in its place and walked to her desk. Slumping down in her chair, she texted  
Rukia again, but this time to grab her breakfast and coffee. She then laid her head down on the desk and closed her eyes.

(…)

Ichigo slowly opened his eyes, groaning at the sunlight hitting his eyes. He glanced at the clock and slowly blinked, then finally registered the time.

"Oh, shit!" He jumped out of bed, adrenaline running through his body. He started to run to the bathroom, and then looked back at his bed.

She's gone.

For some reason this caused him some sadness, but he just shook it off and got ready for the day before him.

And it wasn't looking too bright.

(…)

Ichigo stormed through the doors of the gracious building, scowling at the air before him.

"G-good morning, Mister Kurosaki," the security guards stammered. Ichigo only grunted in response. They each gulped loudly, fear seeping through their pores.

Ichigo pressed his I.D. at the turnstile and huffed towards the elevators. He hated being late. There was a small crowd already waiting for the elevators, but upon seeing their boss, their eyes widened and slowly backed away from him. Ichigo noticed this  
causing him to scowl even more and sigh.

 _This is going to be a long day…_

(…)

"Hello? Miss Inoue? Miss Inoue?!" Rukia shook her boss, worried something had happened. Orihime groggily raised her head and looked around confused.

"Rukia?"

"Miss Inoue! Are you alright?"

Orihime sat up, stretching and massaged her neck. "Yeah… Just long night." She beamed at her assistant, and heard her lightly laugh.

"Long night, huh?" She joked causing Orihime to laugh and shake her head.

"So, what's the agenda for today?" Orihime asked through her yawn.

"First, your breakfast and coffee." Rukia placed it before her, Orihime squealing in happiness.

"Thank you!" She exclaimed through bites of her breakfast sandwich. Rukia softly smiled, happy that she worked for such a kind woman. Despite being the same age, Orihime had accomplished _a lot_ through her years. Rukia was mainly able to get this  
job because of her older brother, who had adopted her into an extremely rich family that owns an electrical company. Their companies are joint together with Orihime's company and have been doing extremely well since. Her older brother wanted her to  
gain some experience and knowledge working under such "a respectable woman", as he put it. And she couldn't agree more.

Orihime gulped her last sip of her iced coffee and looked up at her assistant.

"Now I can tackle the day! What's next?"

"Next we have a meeting on the 25th floor with Miss Matsumoto. There have been certain events that caught her attention that she thought should be discussed sooner rather than later."

"Alright, let's head down then." Orihime smiled and walked to the elevator, Rukia following shortly behind.

They exited the elevator, heading straight to the meeting room. A few heads popped out of the doors of their offices to look at their boss. A woman was rounding the corner, looking down at her phone and didn't realize Orihime there. Orihime was talking  
with Rukia, oblivious to the oncoming woman. They bumped into each other causing the woman to drop her phone, the screen shattering upon impact.

"Why don't you-!" The woman began to yell, but then shut her mouth when she saw who it was. "Oh my gosh, Miss Inoue. I am so sorry I should've watched where I was going I didn't mean to bump into you-" she rambled on and Orihime bent down, picking up  
the broken phone.

"No, no, no. It's quite alright. I should have been more attentive." Orihime turned to Rukia and handed her the phone. "Please have this phone fixed as soon as possible today." Rukia nodded and placed it on top of her planner.

The employee merely blinked and uttered a thank you as they walked away. There were murmurings of praise heard across the hallway.

Rukia opened the door for Orihime, both of them entering the meeting room. Her vice president, Rangiku Matsumoto, and a few other chair members rose from their seats and greeted their boss. Orihime merely shook her hand and told them to sit down. She  
sat at the end of the table, Rukia sitting beside her on her right.

"Well, I hope you have all had a wonderful morning thus far. Let's begin this meeting. As always, Hisagi will write down the minutes. Make sure everyone in this room receives it by the end of today," she directed at the dark haired man. He nodded and  
she continued, "Rangiku, I give you your time for this meeting."

"Thank you, Miss Inoue. Today we are gathered to discuss a competitive company that has extremely similar goals to ours and is rising in the world of electricity." She pressed the clicker and the presentation changed slides to a picture of a man with  
bright orange hair and a deep scowl.

 _Ichigo._

Orihime's eyes widened, her heart pounding in her chest, but kept her face composed.

This cannot be happening.

(…)

Ichigo's legs were up on his desk while he played with a Rubik's cube. His vice president then walked into his office, but Ichigo paid no attention.

Uryu Ishida cleared his throat loudly, but his boss still didn't move.

"Mister Kurosaki, we have a meeting in about five minutes." Uryu clenched his hands into fists, trying to do his best to calm down. Still, he paid no attention to him. He couldn't take it anymore.

"Oi, Kurosaki!" He yelled.

Ichigo tilted his head to look at his vice president. "What's with the yelling?" He raised his eyebrows and saw Ishida twitch in annoyance. It was so much fun getting on his nerve.

Ichigo chuckled and set the Rubik's cube down on his table. "Let's go." They walked out and headed to the elevator, exiting on the 30th floor. He buttoned his deep blue suit jacket and placed his hands inside his pants pockets. Everyone scrambled back  
inside their offices, only daring to peek at their boss after he had already walked past.

"He may have a scary face, but that ass isn't," he heard a woman comment to another.

His face reddened and heard Uryu chuckle beside him. "Shut up," he mumbled.

They entered the meeting room, everyone standing out of fear and respect.

"Sit down, sit down." He seriously hated it when they did that. And they do it _every damn time_. The orange-top sat in his chair at the head of the table, placing one of his ankles on his other knee.

"I believe this meeting is going to be run by my vice president, Uryu Ishida. Ishida, you may begin."

"Thank you, Mister Kurosaki. And thank you everyone for attending this meeting. I have been keeping an eye out on other electrical companies, but there is one in specific that I want to bring to your attention."

The slide changed to an image of a beautiful woman, smiling wholeheartedly.

 _Orihime._

Ichigo's heart slightly tugged at the image of the woman he just slept with. His eyes hardened, his scowl setting in deep.

This cannot be happening.

(…)

"Hinamori, please bring out a glass of water for me."

The young woman turned to exit the office, but then stopped when her boss raised his finger.

"And bring me the number that I asked for you to find before."

"Whose number was that sir?"

"Orihime Inoue's."

* * *

A/N: I live for cliffhangers. I'm sure you all know who the mysterious person at the end is! Please leave a review after reading :) I hope you all have a wonderful day/night ~


	4. Chapter 4

Hello beautiful people! I know you all have been waiting patiently for this, so without further ado here is the 4th chapter! I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns everything except this story.

* * *

"The Kurosaki Company is the biggest competition that we have had since the beginning of the Inoue Company. Ichigo Kurosaki, 24 years old, 5'11", a Cancer," Rangiku playfully winked and everyone laughed. "His father is the renowned doctor, Isshin Kurosaki," the slide changed to a photo of an older man with dark hair and a large grin, "and his mother, Masaki Kurosaki, passed away when he was just a child." There was no picture shown for his mother.

Orihime stared at the photo of Ichigo's father, a sudden feeling of déjà vu coming over her. _Where have I seen him before…?_

"His story is quite similar to our beautiful CEO. He excelled in school, graduated early in high school and college while building up his business in electrical energy." The image shifted to their headquarters. "However, I think there may be a way to bring it down with us not doing much." Orihime's eyebrows furrowed together.

 _Rangiku, what're you doing?_

"There are rumors floating around that his employees are afraid of him, respecting him out of fear. If we can-"

"Rangiku."

Orihime's voice sternly called her out, everyone staring at his or her boss in surprise.

"Miss Inoue-"

"I think we've heard enough about this."

"But we haven't even formulated a plan yet-"

"Enough. I will have one myself within a week. Meeting adjourned." Everyone immediately stood up and left, except for the three main women. Once they were alone, Rangiku let out a loud sigh.

"You couldn't even let me finish this time?"

"No! Rangiku, you know I hate, _hate_ these kinds of tactics. My company is going to be kept honest and kind. We've gotten this far with that motto, haven't we?" Orihime's eyes softened at her vice president. She greatly disliked being tough on others, but knew she had to be in order for her company to continue the way she wants it to.

"Yes, Orihime." Rangiku looked at her boss and smiled. "Well, I expected this anyway! But as long as you know what's going on."

Orihime glanced at her usually-talkative assistant who hadn't said anything since the beginning of the meeting. "Are you okay, Rukia?"

"Actually…"

Rangiku squinted at the petite woman, furrowing her eyebrows, and interrupted her thoughts. "Rukia, we discussed this before already. You don't need to bring it to her attention. It's unimportant."

"I know we've discussed this, but I think she should really know. And it's not-"

"Rukia Kuchiki! We've discussed this already!" Rangiku yelled out, exasperated.

Orihime eyes slightly widened at the sudden outburst from her vice president.

"Rangiku, is there a reason why you don't want me to listen to what Rukia has to say?" Rangiku looked to the side, her cheeks reddening, an odd sight for the two, and just mumbled a no. Orihime placed a hand on the strawberry blonde's shoulder and gave a small smile. "Then I'd like to hear her out."

With that said, Rangiku sighed heavily and sat down. She extended her arm out towards the projector and Rukia walked in front. Connecting her USB to the computer, she began her private presentation.

"Despite the Kurosaki Company being our competitor in electrical energy, I think there is someone we need to worry about in oil."

(…)

"The Inoue Company has similar goals as we do in electrical energy. At this point in stocks and how many companies are joined together, we are head-to-head. As we are pursuing to join with certain car companies to create the best electrical car for the middle class, _they are doing the exact same_. Orihime Inoue founded the company. She is 24 years old, 5'7", and isn't married nor is publicly dating anyone."

One of the members whistled, others laughing alongside him, until he felt a deathly glare coming from his boss and immediately quieted down.

"We know through interviews that she was abused as a child from her parents and her older brother mainly took care of her until he passed away when she was just 13 years old. With no guardian, she went from foster home to foster home. Despite this, she excelled in her classes, being both homeschooled and attending public school. She simultaneously took college classes while she was in high school and graduated both early while building up her business in electrical energy."

Ichigo slightly fidgeted in his seat, uncomfortable that this was how he was learning about the woman that he just saw naked hours previously.

"I ask all of you to keep an eye out for anything that we can use against her, but nothing personal. We need to find out if there are any financial loopholes, misconduct, anything related to the company, but not to her. That is all."

Uryu finished his presentation and handed out copies of files of all the information they know about her company, lastly handing one to Ichigo. The members dispersed from the room and the vice president looked around, making sure they were alone and began to talk directly to Ichigo.

"I didn't want to mention this in my presentation, but I think you should also keep an eye out for someone else. It's all in the file." He turned to leave, but then turned around. "Oh, and get a new secretary already. I'm not going to go pick you up every time there's a meeting."

Ichigo smirked and jokingly replied, "But you're so good at it!" He only heard Uryu 'tsk' as he exited the room. He opened up the file and saw a man with brown hair and glasses and said his name to himself.

"Sosuke Aizen."

Ichigo closed the file and left the room. He could deal with this later.

First, he had to find Orihime.

(…)

Orihime walked out of the building looking down at her phone. Her stomach rumbled, yelling out for its lunch. She tensed, suddenly feeling a presence behind her and quickly turned around. And then she let out a breath of relief.

"Renji, what have I told you about sneaking up behind me like that?" She scolded.

"You told me not to do it, ma'am." He merely replied.

"Yes, I did tell you. What else did I tell you, Renji?"

"That you didn't need me by your side every time you exit the building."

"Yes, I did tell you that as well. And you've already disregarded what I've told you in a matter of a minute!" She flailed her arms and slumped over.

"But what if there's someone out there that wants to hurt you? Or paparazzi come out and attack you, completely disregarding your personal space?!" He rebutted.

"The only one disregarding my personal space is you right now, Renji! I just want to go get lunch in peace!" She cried out.

"So, let's get lunch, Miss Orihime Inoue." She suddenly heard a familiar voice speak out behind her, her eyes widening as to who it is. _No, no, no. He cannot be here. He CANNOT be here right now. And he knows my full name?!_ Turning around, she lightly groaned. Ichigo Kurosaki. Her business enemy. Her last night one-night-stand lover.

Plus the way he just rolled her name off his tongue was like a reminder to her of last night's events. Goosebumps raised on her arms despite the warm weather and she shook away the feeling.

"It's nice seeing you too," he lightly chuckled.

Upon seeing the man, Renji Abarai stood in front of Orihime in a protective stance.

"What is your relation to Miss Inoue?"

"Relax, tough guy. I just-"

"I said what is your relation to Miss Inoue?" Renji repeated with more intensity.

"Renji, it's alright. He's an… not a stranger." Orihime placed her hand on his shoulder lightly and walked past him.

"But Miss Inoue!" The redhead called out to her.

"No buts Renji! Now I'm going to have lunch with this not stranger. I'll be back in one piece, don't worry." She stood next to him and quickly whispered, "Get me out of here!" Ichigo lightly laughed, and walked ahead towards his car, opening the passenger door for her. Renji stayed behind, flustered and confused, watching his boss go inside a stranger's car.

Ichigo turned his car on and drove into the busy street. Orihime's stomach suddenly rumbled loudly. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and sighed loudly.

"Please tell me you were serious about lunch."

"I promise, I was. We're almost there." He drove into a parking garage, leaving his car inside. Orihime merely followed him, not sure where he was taking her to eat.

"So, where are we eating?"

"You'll see. It's nice, small place."

"Um, okay…? What kind of food are we eating?"

"Italian."

"Alright, I can do Italian. Kind of was in the mood for some pasta…" Orihime began to imagine food and her stomach rumbled once more.

Ichigo laughed again beside her. "I don't think I've _ever_ heard someone's stomach rumble that loudly or as much as you have within five minutes."

Orihime merely 'hmphed' beside him, unable to think of a retort. He headed towards the door of a restaurant, opening it for her. Orihime glanced up, the words "Felice" reading out to her in red and white lettering against a green background. Walking inside the intimate restaurant, a waitress stood at a pulpit, writing something down.

She glanced up when she heard the door close and grinned.

"Hello! Do you have a reservation?" Orihime turned to Ichigo and raised her eyebrows. He then gaily walked towards the waitress, and stood close to her, whispering sweet nothings in her ear causing the waitress to blush, and finally slipping a $100 bill in her hand. Orihime barely caught the action if she wasn't paying attention closely enough and rolled her eyes. _Show off_.

"R-right this way," the young woman stammered, her face still red from the unexpected encounter. She placed them in a back table, as requested from the handsome young man, shakily handing them their menus. "Y-you're w-waiter will be r-right with you," she nervously stated and quickly walked away.

Despite it being mid-afternoon, the restaurant was slightly dark with dim lighting.

Orihime chuckled as she sat down.

"What?" Ichigo asked, glancing at the menu.

"That poor girl didn't even know what was gonna hit her," Orihime replied, chuckling once more. Ichigo merely smirked, but made no reply.

A waiter soon came over, filling their glasses with iced water.

"Are we ready for any drinks today?"

"I'm fine with water," Orihime smiling at the waiter. He blinked a few times, dazzled by this woman's beauty and smile. Ichigo cleared his throat loudly and the waiter finally turned to him after a few moments.

"I'm fine with water, too, but I think we are ready to order. Ladies first?" Orihime smiled at the waiter again, but differently this time. It was more shy, reserved, but somehow still flirtatious.

"Oh, sorry," she lightly giggled and read out the plate she wanted in perfect Italian.

"I'll have the Papaderlle alla salsiccia."

The waiter was absolutely taken aback by this beauty. Ichigo cleared his throat loudly once more to get the waiter's attention.

"And I'll have the Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe. Thank you," he handed him his menu and the waiter turned to Orihime to be given hers. She grinned at him once more and he could have sworn he could die right then and there and be happy. Once falling out of his stupor, he walked away towards the back.

"Poor guy, he didn't even know what was gonna hit him," Ichigo mocked. Orihime laughed and shrugged.

There was a small moment of silence, each of them getting comfortable in the other's presence.

"So, about this whole business thing…" Orihime began.

"I have a proposition, actually." Ichigo interrupted. Orihime raised her eyebrows, slightly surprised.

"Well then, let's hear this proposition, Mr. Kurosaki," Orihime sat up straighter, her business persona taking over.

"Instead of being business enemies, why don't we become business partners. Our companies have the same goals, same intentions. I think it'd be really great, and will bring a lot of success on both of our sides." Ichigo finished, waiting for her reply. She just kept staring at him, her face hiding all emotion. _What is she thinking?_ And that was when she exploded in laughter causing all the employees to look at them in confusion and anger.

"Ahaha, Orihime? I don't know why you're laughing, but can you please stop?!" Ichigo hissed between his teeth through a fake smile.

Orihime suddenly stopped laughing and tilted her head to the side. "You're actually serious?" He nodded his head and looked at her questioningly.

"Why did you laugh? It's a possibility and this can save a lot of jobs and energy from both our parts."

"Ichigo, I barely know you. People I have known for 5, 10 years aren't my partners. I don't do partners. I enjoy having control over _my_ company. It goes in the direction _I_ want it to go." Her face was serious, all laughter and joking gone.

"I completely understand that, and I feel the same way about my company. But things won't really change, it'll all just be on a piece of paper and our companies will be together, that's the only difference. You handle your side and I'll handle mine."

"Seriously? 'Things won't really change'? _Everything will change!_ " She yelled under her breath. Sighing deeply, the auburn looked to the side and started biting her lip out of habit. "I'm sorry, but I don't know if I can trust you." Ichigo opened his mouth to say something back, but then heard the waiter clear his throat.

"Papaderlle alla salsiccia for the lady and Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe for the gentleman. Buon appetite." He took one more glance at Orihime, who wasn't paying attention to anyone or anything at all except for her food, and quickly left.

She took one bite of the pasta, not caring that it was still hot, and lightly moaned. _This is amazing!_ _The sausage is cooked so well, the seasoning is perfect! I can't get enough!_ Ichigo watched her roll her eyes back, slightly feeling awkward seeing her do that for food rather than… well… He was about to take a bite of his plate and then clanked his fork down.

"Let me prove it to you."

He took Orihime out of her ecstasy and she merely gave him a puzzled look.

"That you can trust me."

Orihime sat back into the booth and slowly chewed her food. She looked down, thinking. She then nodded after a few excruciating moments on Ichigo's part and he relaxed once more. "Fine, but you only get one chance. And you have to prove it to me within a week."

He smiled at her and merely said, "Oh, I can do it in less time than that."

* * *

A/N: Ah and the plot thickens. Isn't Ichigo just lovely? I hope you all enjoyed it and will continue to stick with me through this journey. Thank you for your continuous support!


	5. Chapter 5

Hello lovelies! I have a new chapter for you~ It's going to get pretty angsty in these future chapters (but don't worry, there will also be some lovin' as well); I will be posting trigger warnings beforehand as to the themes the chapter may pertain to. This story is taking me to different ideas that I didn't consider when I started writing. But I'm glad how it's turning out so far. I hope you enjoy it, and stick with me!

 **Disclaimer** **:** Tite Kubo controls everything. Even my heart.

* * *

 _He ran his fingers through her long auburn locks, smelling it as it slowly fell back down in place._

 _She clenched her hands into fists, glaring at him, glaring at his entire existence._

 _He only smirked at her glare and cradled her small face in his hand, tracing his thumb over her lips._

(…)

Orihime walked back into her office after lunch, pondering on what to do about the whole predicament with Ichigo. _I guess I'll just have to wait it out…_ She looked up and saw Rukia staring intently at her desk, deep in thought.

"Rukia?" Rukia looked up, surprised to hear her name and suddenly stood up when she realized it was her boss. Orihime lightly laughed and looked at her quizzically. "Is there something you want to tell me? You were staring at that desk pretty intensely. I thought you were going to laser a hole through it." Rukia laughed, but then went quiet again.

"He, uh, called you."

"Who did?"

"Aizen Sosuke." Just saying his name seemed to cause a small sense of fear into her heart, but Rukia didn't know why. She didn't know the man.

"Oh! Wow. The irony," Orihime muttered to herself.

"What is?"

"Oh, nothing! Did you take down his number?" Rukia nodded and handed her a post-it note. "Wonderful. I'll call him now." Orihime smiled and her assistant only watched her walk back in, a sense of foreboding coming over her. She tried to shake the feeling off and sat down, focusing back on her duties once more.

The auburn carefully dialed the number into the telephone, waiting for it to ring. An automatic voice came on, surprising her.

"We're sorry, but this phone number is currently out of service or not in the area. We're sorry, but this phone is currently out of service or not-"

Orihime hung up and looked back at the post it note. _Maybe I dialed it wrong…?_ She tried again, pressing the numbers slowly, but received the same automated voice. She was about to call out to Rukia when her personal cell phone suddenly rang.

Caller: Unknown

Orihime hesitantly picked up.

"Hello?"

"Ah, Miss Inoue. I've finally reached you." The voice was of a man's, deep and somehow sinister.

"I'm sorry, but who is this?"

"My apologies, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Sosuke Aizen."

Orihime's heart began to beat slightly faster in her chest. "Oh, Mister Aizen. I was just about to call you, but it kept saying the number was out of service. But how are you calling me? This is my personal cell phone number, there are only a few people who have this number." She heard him chuckle on the other side, sending chills down her arms and back.

"Do you really not remember, Orihime?"

Orihime furrowed her eyebrows, completely taken aback. "I'm sorry, but I don't know what you're-"

"Give my condolences to Sora the next time you visit him."

The line cut off, Orihime sitting still, the ringtone echoing throughout the room.

(…)

Rangiku turned the corner, police sirens blaring in the distance. She tugged the sides of her jacket to keep herself warm from the chill of the night. She constantly kept glancing behind her and then abruptly turned into a small alley. At the end of the alley was a metal door. She knocked three times in a specific rhythm. The door opened, the loud music suddenly spilling out onto the street, and a man with bright blue hair stood at the doorway. He raised his eyebrows at the strawberry blonde and stepped aside for her to enter.

"He's in the back room," was all he said. Rangiku nodded and passed through the dancing crowd. From the corner of her eye, she saw someone swallow two pills of different colors. She sighed and finally reached the back room and was about to enter when a large man suddenly grabbed her arm.

"Hey, where do you think you're-?! Oh, Rangiku. You can go right in." Yammy's sudden grab had startled her, her heart already pounding in her chest. She muttered a thank you and slowly opened the door. It was a rather large room with the stench of cigarettes and cigars and alcohol. A large round table was in the middle of the room, a bar set up on the side. Mirrors lined the entire room, practically set up for an egotistical person. A group of men sat around the table playing poker, some she recognized from past oil companies that were long forgotten, some drug lords. Others she didn't recognize. She walked past them, towards the man she came here for. He was sitting on one of the plush chairs taking a sip of his whiskey in hand.

The man suddenly felt a presence and looked up.

"Rangiku," he smiled, set his glass down, and stood up to kiss her. She pressed her palm against his chest, stopping his kiss.

"Gin… We need to talk." He raised an eyebrow at her and she sighed. "Privately. Please." His eyebrows furrowed, his fiancée was unusually serious. He grabbed her hand and walked to one of Aizen's closest subordinates.

"Ulquiorra, if he asks for me just tell him I'm with Rangiku." The pale man merely stared at him blankly and nodded.

Gin led Rangiku out of the backroom and walked to the other side, opening a door that led to a stairway. The music drowned away again the further they went up the stairs. He opened a door and they walked into a floor that seemed to be in construction. He pressed a button, waiting for the elevator to reach the floor.

"Gin-"

He suddenly kissed her, his hand holding her body close to his, their tongues mingling with each other. He stopped kissing her, but their lips were still touching.

"Not yet, I'll tell you when," he softly whispered. She looked at him and slightly nodded. The elevator arrived and they stepped inside. He took out a card and tapped it against a scanner then pressed the 10th floor, the highest floor in the building. A line of offices filled the floor and the silver haired man opened an office at the far end of the left hallway. He turned on the lights as well as another switch that appeared to do nothing.

"Alright, you can speak freely now." Rangiku suspiciously looked at him and he breathed in deeply. "Don't worry, I turned on my device that interferes with any recording devices, both video and sound." Rangiku nodded and sat down in one of the chairs.

"She knows about him now."

"I know. He called her today. Most likely gave her a scare." Gin walked towards the only small window, looking down below at the street.

"I tried so _hard_ to keep her away from that vile _man_ , _monster_ , whatever the hell you want to call him." Rangiku burrowed her face in her hands, exhausted.

"She still doesn't know that you're her aunt?" Rangiku shook her head in the negative.

"I have to keep her away from her family's past. _Our_ past." She looked up at the light and closed her eyes.

"They're going to meet soon, whether she remembers him or not."

"I'm afraid of that."

"Me too." Gin continued to watch people walk around down below, the clock ticking in the silence.

(…)

Orihime drank the last sip of her cosmopolitan and set it down at the bar.

"One more please," She told the bartender, looking down.

"Are you sure about that?" he whispered in her ear. She rolled her eyes and turned around.

"I really can't escape you, can I?" The auburn glared at the orange top and was about to turn back around.

"Wow, someone's in a sour mood."

She quickly faced him again and slowly poked her finger at his chest. "Don't toy with me right now. I'm really not in the mood, Ichigo."

He looked into her eyes and saw that they were slightly red, almost as if she were stopping herself from crying. "Hey, what's wrong?" Orihime only scoffed and turned around to grab her new drink.

"Nothing." She took a big gulp and licked her lips.

"Orihime, please tell me." He sat down beside her and lightly touched her arm with care. She looked at his hand and back down again.

"Do you feel like you're supposed to remember someone, but you can't? Or… Gah, I'm not sure how to put this. " She breathed in deeply and continued. "This guy called me today like he knew me, but I know nothing about him. But it feels like I should…" Ichigo looked at her, unsure how to respond. He could see that she was in deep thought, stuck in her mind.

" _Now Orihime, I need you to get ready for school."_

" _No!"_

" _Orihime, please. I'm going to be late for work, but I need to drop you off at school."_

" _No! I don't want to go back there! They all make fun of my hair…" The young girl looked down at the floor and whimpered._

" _Oh, Hime…" Sora looked down at his crying sister and bent down on one knee to hug her. "Your hair is beautiful, and amazing, and it shines as bright as the sun. You shine as bright as the sun." Orihime stepped back to look at her brother, sniffling._

" _Really? As bright as the sun?"_

" _Even brighter." He flicked her nose and smiled. And then she grinned from ear to ear._

"Orihime?"

She didn't realize the tears falling. She didn't realize the empty glass before her. She looked to the side, away from Ichigo, and quickly wiped away her tears and turned back to him with a small smile.

"I'm fine," she said, a line practiced for far too long.

"No, you're not."

Orihime was slightly taken aback, always forgetting how blunt he could be.

"Let me take you home," he suggested.

"No."

Ichigo looked at her quizzically and was about to protest until she said, "Let's go to your place."

(…)

Orihime pinned Ichigo against a wall, making out with him almost angrily. Ichigo was shocked at how fiercely she was kissing him, not sure what to do. She began to reach down when he suddenly grabbed her hand to stop her.

"Orihime-"

"What? Is the little boy shy today? I can take care of you this time if you want me to," she coyly replied, biting her lip with a flirtatious smile.

"I don't think we should do this right now." She stayed close to him for a long second, slowly beginning to comprehend what he was saying and stepped away with a frown. "I don't think you're in the right state of mind for us to have sex."

"I'm not drunk-,"

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

The auburn folded her arms, looked at him blankly and then turned around. "Fine, I'll just go then." She began to walk to the front door when he grabbed her hand with enough strength to stop her.

"How about a hot bath? We can watch a movie after or something. Just relax and you can stay here for the night again. Please." _I don't want you to be alone_.

She just stood there, thinking, the minutes ticking by. "Fine." Ichigo smiled, one she did not see, and let go of her hand.

"I'll get the bath started then. Feel free to look around if you want," he bounded down the stairs, heading towards his bedroom. Orihime just watched him go until he was out of sight. She sighed and walked around.

The lights were on this time, and she passed the dining room to the kitchen. He had a stainless steel refrigerator, the big ones with double doors. She opened it and saw mainly fruits and vegetables with a case of beer. It wasn't completely full, but neither empty. She grabbed a handful of grapes and continued to wander. She entered the living room; everything appeared untouched, perfect. There were a few picture frames lying on top of the small glass tables that stood next to the sofa. Grabbing a photo in a silver frame, she saw a younger Ichigo, probably in his teens, with his father and two younger women that she assumed were his sisters. His father was grinning rather largely, his younger sisters appeared to be laughing at Ichigo who was the only one scowling. Orihime smiled looking at the photo with a small tinge of sadness. She never knew what it felt like to have a full family. Loving parents. But she had Sora. And that was enough for her. She walked to the other glass table to see the other picture. Upon looking at it, Orihime felt tears stinging at the back of her eyes.

A beautiful woman with wavy, light brown hair was smiling brightly with a tiny Ichigo having his arms wrapped around her neck, his smile just as large as hers. _She's so beautiful._ The auburn traced her thumb over the picture, lifting off a small amount of dust from the frame.

"Orihime, the bath is-. Oh," Orihime snapped her head up and immediately placed the photo back in place.

"I'm sorry, I saw it, I didn't mean to be nosy or snooping-"

"No, it's fine. I did tell you to look around." Orihime looked at him oddly, he looked a little sad as he walked towards her, towards the photo.

"I guess you know about my past just as much as I know yours." Orihime blushed and looked down at the ground. "Or whatever it is we told the press." Ichigo silently looked at the photo, a slightly tense aura forming. He cleared his throat and set the photo down.

"I never really talk about her or set out any photos of her. She's too special to be out in the media. I didn't want them to scrutinize her or pick off her flaws, which were practically nonexistent." He chuckled, not setting his eyes on hers. "Anyways, the bath is ready if you are." She smiled and nodded. She took one last glance at the photo of his mother and the other at his family. However, her glance lingered when she saw his father's face again. _Isshin Kurosaki… Why is he so familiar?_ She began to get a headache, but it was bothering her why she couldn't remember. _Why can't I remember these things?_ She watched Ichigo's back as he led her downstairs, and suddenly she wasn't in his apartment, but in what appeared to be a clinic. She blinked and she was in the apartment once more. _What the..?_ Glancing down at her hands, they were a lot smaller, dry blood scattered across her palm. The image left once more.

"Ichigo… Kurosaki…?" Ichigo turned around when he heard his name, and saw Orihime in a daze. Her eyes widened, looking up at his face.

"Orihime?" Ichigo stepped towards her in concern.

"Kurosaki..." She breathily spoke his last name and then fainted.

* * *

Like I said - I live for cliffhangers. Stay tuned for the next chapter, which should be pretty soon :) Review please!


	6. Chapter 6

Hello, darlings! I know - it's been so long. Before you begin reading, the first half is in Ichigo's POV (kind of) on events that happened in the last half of the previous chapter. Sorry there isn't a lemon scene in this chapter, but that doesn't mean there won't be more! I'm still in the process on where I want this story to go (I have a general idea, but just need to fill in the details) which is why I've been having trouble with my writing (and also writer's block). I hope you enjoy, and hopefully I'll be able to update soon!

Disclaimer: Bleach and its characters belong to Tite Kubo.

* * *

Ichigo exited the elevator on the parking level and walked towards his car. Unlocking it, he quickly started the engine and sat there thinking for a minute. _Maybe she'll be there again…_ He backed away and drove towards the club where he initially met Orihime. He walked in, immediately scanning his eyes over the dance floor. She wasn't there. He headed towards the back where a separate room held a bar and a quieter atmosphere. That was when he saw her sitting on a stool, her head hung low, her bangs covering her eyes. He walked towards her, watching her finish her drink. He stopped right behind her and heard her voice for another drink.

"Are you sure about that?" he whispered in her ear, smirking. She suddenly turned around and he was hit with an aggravated stare.

"I really can't escape you, can I?" She responded in annoyance. Ichigo was slightly taken aback, he only saw a few of her emotions, but aggravation wasn't one of them. _Maybe if I just joke around she'll lighten up…_ She was already starting to turn back from him.

"Wow, someone's in a sour mood," he had a small smile on his face, but it seemed to not register for her. She spun facing him again, now angry.

"Don't toy with me right now. I'm really not in the mood, Ichigo." The auburn poked him hard on his chest as she said this, staring straight into his eyes. He noticed they were slightly red, like she was stopping herself from crying. He immediately felt worried, his brows furrowing inward.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

She merely scoffed and turned around for her new drink. _What the hell happened between lunch and now?_

"Nothing."

Ichigo's brows furrowed deeper. He sat next to her and lightly touched her arm. He ignored the small flinch that followed. "Orihime, please tell me." She glanced at his hand and back down. There was a slight pause, the bass from the music slightly shaking the stools. He waited patiently for her to speak.

"Do you feel like you're supposed to remember someone, but you can't? Or… Gah, I'm not sure how to put this. " She breathed in deeply and continued. "This guy called me today like he knew me, but I know nothing about him. But it feels like I should…" Ichigo looked at her, unsure how to respond. He could see that she was in deep thought, stuck in her mind. Her eyes seemed to glaze over and she didn't continue, just kept drinking, and then a tear fell.

"Orihime?" He seemed to take her out of her reverie and she turned away from him, tears gone when she turned back with a fake smile.

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not." _She's a terrible liar._ She seemed slightly shocked and Ichigo scolded himself for being so blunt in her vulnerable state. "Let me take you home," he offered.

"No."

 _Like hell you're staying here._ He was about to protest when she suddenly interrupted him.

"Let's go to your place."

(…)

Ichigo just shut the door behind him when he was suddenly grabbed and pinned to his wall.

 _What the-?_

The auburn kissed him with an odd fervor that made him slightly uncomfortable. His mind and body went still, unsure how to respond, until he felt her reach down for his belt buckle. By instinct, he grabbed her hand, stopping her movements. Her lips went slightly still, trembling for a second against his.

"Orihime -,"

"What? Is the little boy shy today? I can take care of you this time if you want me to," she coyly replied, biting her lip with a flirtatious smile. He could look through this façade of hers.

"I don't think we should do this right now." She stayed close to him for a long second then stepped away with a frown. Ichigo continued, trying to properly explain himself. "I don't think you're in the right state of mind for us to have sex."

"I'm not drunk-,"

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

He was going to reach for her hands, but the auburn folded her arms, looked at him blankly and then turned around. His heart panged at the sight of her back. "Fine, I'll just go then." She began to walk to the front door when he grabbed her hand with enough strength to stop her. _I can't let her leave like this!_

"How about a hot bath? We can watch a movie after or something. Just relax and you can stay here for the night again. Please." _I don't want you to be alone_.

She just stood there, the minutes ticking by. Finally she responded. "Fine." Ichigo smiled and let go of her hand.

"I'll get the bath started then. Feel free to look around if you want," he bounded down the stairs, heading towards his bedroom. He turned on the lights in the hallway and entered one of the guest rooms on the floor. Entering its bathroom, a glass vase stood by the bathtub filled with bath bombs. They originally were for his sisters when they visited – or mainly for Yuzu – but he soon found out they were quite popular with his late night dates as well. _I'm sure this will help to calm her down._ Ichigo smiled and went straight to his personal bathroom. Crystal clear water flowed out of the faucet, filling the porcelain tub. Once full, he placed the bath bomb inside. It sizzled and changed the color of the water a soft hue of purple, the aroma of lavender filling the room. The water slightly steamed from its heat and Ichigo turned off the water. Looking around, he quickly grabbed matches from one of the cabinets underneath the sink and lit up the candles, creating a light orange glow in the room. Turning the stereo on, soft piano music emanated from the speakers. Quickly glancing around, Ichigo mentally gave himself a pat on his back. _I'm sure this'll help._ He then headed back to the auburn who was waiting for him.

He saw her in the living room, a small smile in his face. "Orihime, the bath is-." He suddenly realized what she was looking at, his smile fading. "Oh," She snapped her head up, her hair covering some of her face, and immediately placed the photo back in place.

"I'm sorry, I saw it, I didn't mean to be nosy or snooping-"

He shook his head in response. "No, it's fine. I did tell you to look around." He walked towards her, towards the photo.

"I guess you know about my past just as much as I know yours." Orihime blushed and looked down at the ground. "Or whatever it is we told the press." Ichigo silently looked at the photo, a slightly tense aura forming. He cleared his throat and set the photo down.

"I never really talk about her or set out any photos of her. She's too special to be out in the media. I didn't want them to scrutinize her or pick off her flaws, which were practically nonexistent." He chuckled, not setting his eyes on hers. "Anyways, the bath is ready if you are." She smiled and nodded. Ichigo gave her a small smile and then headed back to the stairs, thinking she was following, when he suddenly heard her call his name.

"Ichigo… Kurosaki…?" Ichigo turned around, and saw Orihime in a daze. Her eyes widened, looking up at his face.

"Orihime?" Ichigo stepped towards her in concern.

"Kurosaki.." She breathily spoke his last name and then fainted.

"Orihime!" He yelled her name and slightly fumbled with her body in the attempt to save her from hitting the floor, lightly placing her down. His heart pounded in his chest, the only sound in his ears. He began to run to his house phone when he suddenly heard her gasp. He looked back at her and saw her trying to sit up. He returned back to her and knelt beside her on the floor.

"Orihime! Please just stay there, I'm going to call 911 and -,"

"No, please, I don't want to go to the hospital…" She placed her hand on his forearm and looked into his eyes, tears falling.

"Orihime, please, you just fainted-,"

"No." Ichigo was at war with himself and looked at the side, nodding his head. She started to get up and Ichigo helped to keep her steady.

"Do you want some water?" he softly asked. She shook her head in the negative. She just stood there, looking down at the floor, a frown on her face. "Please, Orihime, tell me what to do…" She looked at him and opened her mouth, and closed it again. She took a small breath and licked her lips. He cradled her face in his hands, erasing the wet trails on her cheeks and placing her hair behind her ear.

"I remembered something. It wasn't much. But you were in it." She looked deep into his eyes, and he only looked confused, but didn't say anything. "I was in a hospital I think, and there was dry blood on my hands. And I was sad. So sad. And so were you, a much younger you. But you talked to me like as if you were trying to cheer me up and handed me a wipe for my hands. Then I saw your father in the distance. And that was about it. That was all I remembered." She had glanced at the side, but he intently kept on gazing at her, taking in all she said. He racked his brain to try to remember what she was saying, and it suddenly clicked for him.

"I remember that." Ichigo let go of her face and placed his arms limply at the sides of his body. "That really bad car accident, and a young woman coming in after with a lot of blood… That was you…"

"The day my brother died." A sob escaped, her body shaking violently, and Ichigo immediately grabbed her and hugged her against his chest. "I'm sorry!" she cried out against his shirt.

"No, there's nothing to be sorry about, Orihime. It's okay, you're okay." He rubbed his hand at the crown of her head as she cried.

"I don't know why I just remembered that…" she mumbled as her cries died down. Ichigo didn't respond and only kissed her forehead. He slowly let her go when he heard her breathing slow down. She was biting her lip, and slowly gazed up at him. Her cheeks reddened, and she began to stutter an apology, but Ichigo merely gave her a small kiss on her lips. He ran his fingers through her hair, a soft smile playing on his lips.

"So… I bet that bath sounds pretty good, right about now." Orihime giggled and nodded her head. "Can you walk okay?" She nodded once more. He gave one more kiss on her forehead and grabbed her hand, leading her downstairs.

Upon entering the bathroom, Orihime's eyes widened. "You… You did this?" She turned around, an incredulous look written across her face, yet she was smiling.

Ichigo smirked and shrugged his shoulders. "I'll be right outside if you need me-,"

"Join me." She turned around and faced him, grabbing his hand, leading him closer to the tub.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah… Plus I kind of don't want to be alone right now…" She gazed up at him, her large grey orbs staring straight into his bright brown eyes. She began to blush when he didn't look away and quickly averted her eyes. She turned around, Ichigo continuing to gaze at her as she slowly removed her clothes. He couldn't help but notice her long auburn hair sashaying against her pale skin, the way the ends curl across her shoulder blades down to her waist. It wasn't until Orihime placed her hair up in a bun and entered the water that he realized he hadn't moved since she spoke. She slowly placed one foot at a time into the tub and immersed her entire body into the warm water. It covered up to her breasts, rose petals floating around her body on the translucent purple water. Ichigo quickly took off his clothes and soon followed inside at the opposite end. Orihime sat up straighter and bent her knees, giving him room. She smiled at him, extremely aware of her heartbeat than ever. Even though they weren't going to necessarily do anything sexual, this somehow felt more intimate than anything she's ever done with anyone. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For this. For listening to me. For dealing with me for probably your craziest 24 hours," she chuckled somewhat darkly and Ichigo looked at her concerned, but said nothing. "I don't know what's happening, and it seemed to all start once I met you." He cocked his head to the side, but continued to stay silent. "Oh, that sounded mean! I'm sorry, I didn't mean that in an offensive or suspicious way. I mean, we are still strangers in a sense, but I…" _I think I'm falling for you_. "I feel safe with you." The auburn looked away and took a deep breath. "You always seem to find me when I feel the most alone."

Ichigo began to scoot closer to her, Orihime's surprising eyes following his movements, the water splashing the sides of the white tub.

"I don't know what our relationship is going to be in the future, but ever since we've met, I've felt a certain pull towards you." Ichigo saw her slightly gasp, her reddish lips parting. "You're never going to be alone again, not while I'm still in your life. I can promise you that." She looked up at him for a long minute, his cheeks growing into a deeper red as time went by. Suddenly, she was hugging him tightly causing him to quickly grab the side of the tub so that he didn't fall back. After the sudden shock of her hug, he hugged her back, nuzzling his face into the side of her neck, just as she was.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Once the water got cold, they both stepped out and dried themselves and she put on an oversized shirt of his. As promised, they just watched movies together and talked, both feeling their emotions grow deeper for one another.

(…)

The security guard looked up from the screens before him when a man walked in the revolving doors. He was holding a large white box with a grand gold bow wrapped around it.

"May I help you, sir?"

"I have a package I'd like to drop off for Miss Orihime Inoue."

"Of course, sir. I'll be more than happy to take it from you. And may I ask your name?"

"Oh, you can just tell her it's from a childhood friend." He handed the large box over the desk and walked away, leaving the security guard in a confused state.

* * *

Wanna guess who the man was at the end? And the plot thickens further! Everything will make sense within the next few chapters. I'm thinking this story might be ~ 10 chapters long, but that isn't set in stone. I hope you all enjoyed and I love you all for sticking with my terrible updates as a writer! Seriously - thank you. xx


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